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Petitioner vs. vs. Respondents: First Division
Petitioner vs. vs. Respondents: First Division
DECISION
GANCAYCO , J : p
This is a petition for review of the decision of the Court of Appeals dated August 27, 1982
in CA-G.R. No. 16205-CR affirming with modification the conviction of petitioner Tomas
Bayan together with Daniel Tobias and Amado de Vera of the crime of malversation thru
falsification of public documents and imposing on them the indeterminate penalty of from
eight (8) years and one (1) day of prision mayor in its medium period as minimum to
fourteen (14) years of reclusion temporal as maximum, with perpetual special
disqualification and a fine of P9,746.00, to indemnify the Municipality of Polomolok in the
same amount, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency and to pay the costs.
1
"On November 11, 1967, Fernandez received P996.00 from Tobias, representing
P946.00 for the twenty-four (24) culverts delivered and P50.00 for trucking
expenses (tsn., pp. 15 & 63, April 7, 1969).
"On December 1, 1967, Leoncio B. Matullano returned from his leave and
assumed his duties as Municipal Treasurer of Polomolok. Amado de Vera, the
Acting Municipal Treasurer, turned over to Matullano the cashbook of the Office
of the Municipal Treasurer the cash appearing in the cashbook, and the properties
inside the Municipal Building. The turn-over was witnessed by Nicolas Lachica,
Chief of the Investigation and the Inspection Division of the Provincial Treasurer
of South Cotabato. Lachica had been directed to witness the transfer of office
between the outgoing Acting Municipal Treasurer and the returning Municipal
Treasurer of Polomolok (tsn., pp. 190-191, April 8, 1969; p. 103, April 7, 1969).
"On December 4, 1967, Matullano referred the matter to the Assistant Treasurer of
Polomolok, Gerardo Barrientos. Barrientos said that he did not know of any
delivery by Fernandez Hollow Block Factory for two hundred ninety three (293)
culverts. Barrientos knew that Polomolok still had thirty nine (39) culverts
manufactured by Polomolok in stock. Besides aforesaid thirty-nine (39) culverts,
he found only twenty two (22) of the culverts delivered by Fernandez Hollow
Block Factory, in the yard behind the Municipal Building (tsn., pp. 281-284, 289,
May 5, 1969).
"Together with Nicolas Lachica, Chief of Investigation and Inspection Division of
the Office of the Provincial Treasurer of South Cotabato, Barrientos questioned
Engineer Ramon Fernandez, Jr. on aforesaid transaction. In the confrontation
among the three of them on December 4, 1967, Fernandez stated that he delivered
only twenty four (24) culverts behind the Municipal Building of Polomolok on
November 7, 1967; that on November 8, 1967, he issued Tobias Cash Invoice No.
185 (Exhibit A), the entries on which were written with a pencil, and Delivery
Receipt No. 402 (or 492) [Exhibit O] the entries on which were likewise written with
a pencil; Cash Invoice No. 1885 (Exhibit A) and Delivery Receipt No. 402 (or 492)
were altered to show the purchase of two hundred ninety three (293) culverts
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instead; that the alteration of Cash Invoice No. 1885 (Exhibit A) may be seen by
comparing it with its carbon duplicate (Exhibit A-1), which shows the purchase of
twenty-four (24) culverts only; that Delivery Receipt No. 402 (or 492) [Exhibit O]
was also altered as it shows the delivery of two hundred ninety-three (293)
culverts, while its duplicate (Exhibit S) shows the delivery of twenty-four (24) only;
that he had not seen before the Advertisement For Bid (Exhibit B) allegedly sent to
Fernandez Hollow Block Factory; that the Tender's Bid (Exhibit C) signed by one
Adolfo de los Santos was not submitted by Fernandez Hollow Block Factory; that
he signed the Municipal Voucher (Exhibit H) in blank, upon the representation by
Tobias that it would be filled up later on; that the Fernandez Hollow Block Factory
did not submit the Taxpayer's Certificate (Exhibit E) nor the Tender's Bid (Exhibit
B), and the person who signed them as Adolfo de los Santos, was not known to or
employed by Fernandez Hollow Block Factory; that he did not receive the
Purchase and Requisition for Supplies (Exhibit F) and saw it for the first time
when the transaction was later on investigated by the Fiscal's Office; that he
received only P946.00 from Tobias, and not P10,692.00 (tsn., pp. 16-70, 104-135,
April 7, 1969);
"After December 4, 1967, Barrientos went around the different barrios of
Polomolok, but could find no trace of the culverts allegedly delivered by
Fernandez Hollow Block Factory other than the twenty-two (22) pieces lying
behind the Municipal Building of Polomolok (tsn., pp. 286-290, 297-302, May 5,
1969). In the administrative investigation conducted by Lachica of the
transaction, he subpoenaed Adolfo de los Santos, but said Adolfo de los Santos
did not appear and was certified by the Chief of Police charged with serving the
subpoena to be non-existent (tsn., p. 137, April 7, 1969)." 2
The herein petition is predicated on the following assigned errors allegedly committed by
the appellate court:
"I
THE RESPONDENT COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN INTERPRETING THE
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES ADDUCED IN THE CASE
AS CONVINCINGLY SHOWING THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY BETWEEN HEREIN
PETITIONER AND HIS CO-ACCUSED DANIEL TOBIAS AND AMADO DE VERA TO
MALVERSE THE PUBLIC FUNDS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF POLOMOLOK,
SOUTH COTABATO.
II
THE RESPONDENT COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN INTERPRETING EXHIBITS `A'
AND `O' AS HAVING BEEN FALSIFIED BY HEREIN PETITIONER AND HIS CO-
ACCUSED ON THE BASIS OF MERE PRESUMPTION AND NOT ON THE EVIDENCE
ON THE RECORD.
III
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN INTERPRETING THE EVIDENCE, BOTH
DOCUMENTARY AND ORAL, ON RECORD TO HOLD THAT PETITIONER HEREIN IS
GUILTY OF THE CRIME CHARGED.
IV
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN NOT ACQUITTING THE HEREIN PETITIONER
DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF THE VERY ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE CRIME
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CHARGED." 3
From the foregoing it is clear that petitioner, who was then the municipal mayor of
Polomolok, is charged with conspiring with accused Amado de Vera, then Acting Municipal
Treasurer of Polomolok and as such an accountable public officer, and Daniel Tobias, Clerk
of the Provincial Auditor's Office, in falsifying a municipal voucher of the municipality by
causing it to appear that 293 pieces of reinforced concrete pipes costing P10,692.00 had
been delivered by the Fernandez Hollow Block Factory (Fernandez for short) to the
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municipality of Polomolok, when in fact only a total of 24 pieces were delivered and
received costing P946.00, and that they appropriated the amount of P9,746.00 which is
the cost of the 269 undelivered pieces to the damage and prejudice of the government. Cdpr
The findings of facts of the appellate court are conclusive in this proceeding, and it is on
the basis thereof that this petition must be resolved.
A careful examination of the said findings of facts of the appellate court and of the records
of the case shows that the prosecution has not established conspiracy between petitioner
and the two other accused as to justify a conclusion that petitioner is guilty of the offense
charged. On the contrary, certain circumstances demonstrate not only the absence of such
unity of action and purpose which is essential to establish conspiracy but more especially,
to establish the innocence of petitioner.
Because of the flashfloods causing damage to life and property in Polomolok in 1967,
petitioner who was the municipal mayor, called the municipal council to an emergency
session in his residence to remedy the impassable roads and serious problems of erosion.
Petitioner summoned the municipal treasurer, Leoncio Matullano, to the meeting, but
Amado de Vera who was acting in his place attended the session. Petitioner met him for
the first time then. De Vera was asked to discuss the financial condition of the municipality
as there was a need to purchase 293 pieces of culverts of different sizes. De Vera
informed them that there was a surplus of P27,000.00, thus, the council approved the
budget in principle. 5
A requisition and issue voucher dated September 2, 1967 for 293 culverts of various sizes
was prepared by de Vera who certified to the availability of the funds for the purpose while
petitioner approved the same and certified to the necessity of the supplies for the purpose
stated. Tobias approved the requisition for public bidding. 6
The corresponding advertisement for bids was issued by de Vera and initialed by Tobias,
the bidder's tender appears to have been submitted, and the abstract of canvass or bid
was made awarding the contract to Fernandez, signed by petitioner as requisitioner, by de
Vera, as Acting Treasurer and Bonifacio Salazar, as Chairman on Awards. 7
A purchase and requisition for supplies dated September 13, 1967 addressed to
Fernandez Hollow Block Factory was signed by petitioner and de Vera for 293 culverts of
various sizes. 8
A report of inspection was signed by de Vera and initialed by Tobias certifying to the
delivery of said 293 reinforced concrete pipes valued at P10,692.00 by Fernandez at the
jobsites of the municipality. 9 Delivery receipt No. 402 or 492 issued by Fernandez dated
October 29, 1967 attests to the delivery of said 293 concrete pipes. Across the same,
Tobias wrote he inspected and verified the deliveries. 1 0 The taxpayer's certificate dated
September 29, 1967 executed by Adolfo de los Santos for Fernandez was sworn before
petitioner and was initialed by Tobias on October 29, 1967. 1 1
The payment of P10,692.00 to Fernandez was entered by de Vera on page 58 of the
Polomolok Official Cash Book. 1 2 The same payment also appeared in the ledger of
Polomolok as an expenditure for 1967-68 and in the Polomolok Municipal Treasurer's
Journal. 1 3
It is on the basis of the foregoing circumstances and documents that the municipal
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voucher for payment duly certified by de Vera was approved for payment by petitioner. The
payment appears to have been received by Fernandez. 1 4
Although evidence was adduced tending to show that only 24 culverts were delivered to
the municipality, there is no showing that petitioner knew of such fact. Indeed, what
appears is that what petitioner knew was that the 293 culverts requisitioned were
delivered as shown by the supporting documents. During the administrative investigation
and the preliminary investigation, petitioner asked that an ocular inspection be conducted
to verify the actual quantity of culverts delivered not only at the back of the municipal
building but also in the other job sites, but this was not heeded. Even during the trial, a
similar representation of petitioner appears to have fallen on deaf ears.LexLib
There is no showing that petitioner had anything to do with the alleged falsification much
less that he profited from the effects of the crime. To hold him liable with the accountable
public official for malversation through falsification of public documents, clear and
convincing evidence of conspiracy must be adduced. Otherwise, his liability if at all shall be
individual depending on his participation in the commission of the offense. Unfortunately
no such evidence has been adduced to support his conviction even on this account.
What appears in this case is that petitioner as a public official acted in response to a
public need. By so doing this prosecution was set in motion by his political adversaries.
With the slender evidence on record, his vindication is in order.
WHEREFORE, the judgment appealed from is hereby REVERSED AND SET ASIDE and
another judgment is hereby rendered acquitting petitioner Tomas Bayan of the offense
charged with costs de oficio.
SO ORDERED.
Narvasa, Cruz, Griño-Aquino and Medialdea, JJ., concur.
Footnotes
4. Exhibits D and H.
5. TSN, pages 502 to 508.
6. Exhibit I.
7. Exhibits N, B, C, D, J, K and L.
8. Exhibits F, F-1 and F-2.